Method

Place duck in a single layer in a non-reactive dish, scatter salt mixture over and rub well all over duck. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

03

Brush excess salt mixture from duck, pat dry with absorbent paper and place in a single layer in a deep roasting pan.

04

Preheat oven to 100C. Warm duck fat in a saucepan over low heat until just melted, then pour over duck legs until completely submerged. Bake until very tender and just beginning to fall from the bone (1-1½ hours).

05

Scatter a little salt in the base of an earthenware casserole. Remove duck from fat, place in a single layer in casserole and strain over duck fat to cover completely by at least 2cm. Cover and refrigerate until required.

Confit de canard is one of the great classics of French cooking,
yet it stems from a very pragmatic centuries-old method of
preserving food. While the technique originated in Gascony, it was
quickly adopted by the rest of France. The technique was born of
necessity, but has changed little over time, and the textures and
flavours it produces has Francophiles the world over rapt in its
sublimely salty, meltingly tender qualities.

Duck legs, which are almost always sold as the drumstick with
the thigh attached, are cured for up to a day and a half in a
mixture of salt and garlic (we also include golden shallots and
thyme for extra flavour). This draws moisture from the duck and
adds flavour. An approximate ratio is 50gm salt to 1kg duck legs.
The salt is then brushed from the meat, which is patted dry and
placed in a deep roasting pan just large enough to fit the legs
snugly.

The next step requires quite a lot of duck or goose fat - enough
to completely submerge the duck legs. In a classic household or
working kitchen situation, this fat would have been accumulated
over time by rendering it down from whole birds. To render fat
yourself, heat pieces of duck fat in a saucepan with two to three
tablespoons of water until the fat melts and becomes clear. If
you're buying the legs on their own, though, you'll also need to
buy canned fat. Duck and goose fat are typically imported from
France (though some shops sell locally made fat) and are available
from good delicatessens. Even if you do use a whole duck,
Australian birds are less fatty than the French, so it's likely
you'll need to supplement the rendered fat with canned product.

Long, slow cooking is essential to produce the tender meat
you're after. Some cooks like to do it on the stovetop, but it can
be difficult to maintain the steady low temperature required. A
more reliable method is to cook it at the lowest temperature your
oven will go, ideally 90-100C. When the meat draws back from the
bone, the duck is ready. Remove the duck legs from the fat with a
slotted spoon and place them in an earthenware or cast-iron
casserole. Sprinkling a little salt inside first will prevent the
meat juices from becoming sour when they settle to the bottom.
Ladle the clear fat over the duck legs, ensuring they're are
completely submerged by at least 2cm - it's the fat that acts as
the barrier against air and spoilage - then refrigerate for up to a
month.

When you want to use the duck, warm the casserole gently until
the fat softens enough to remove the pieces you need, then crisp
them in a heavy-based frying pan over high heat until golden and
warmed through.

Traditionally the fat left over from one confit is used to make
the next, adding depth of flavour, but it has other, far tastier
uses too. You can use a little duck fat to brown a joint of meat
before roasting or braising, imparting extra flavour. Or toss
robust root vegetables in some duck fat heated in a roasting pan
for the best roast veg you can imagine - think Jerusalem artichokes
or thick wedges of pumpkin.

A traditional accompaniment to confit de canard is pommes de
terre à la Sarladaise - sliced potatoes crisped in hot duck fat
until golden brown. Potatoes cooked in this manner are seriously
good eating, whatever you choose to serve them with.

For a lighter take on duck confit, toss it warm through a salad,
as we have here.
Crisp bitter greens and a mustard-spiked vinaigrette cut through
the rich fattiness of the duck, while earthy baby beetroot and
fresh young green beans mean you can kid yourself into thinking
it's even good for you.

And there's the rub with confit - it's rich and it wouldn't get
a tick from the Heart Foundation, but we love it just the same.